HOLY FAMILY PARISH Mass Coordinator Expectations & Duties

Transcription

1 HOLY FAMILY PARISH The sacristan [Mass Coordinator] carefully arranges the liturgical books, the vestments, and other things necessary in the celebration of Mass. (from the General Instruction of the Roman Missal USCCB) At Holy Family, the Mass Coordinator (Mass sacristan) is the senior liturgical minister for the celebration of the Mass, and is responsible for the preparation and care of the materials used in the liturgy, as well as being the liaison between other ministries and the presider. The work of the Mass Coordinator ideally is needed before and between weekend Masses. Care for the condition of the whole room where liturgy is celebrated, as well as for the vestments, liturgical cloths, vessels, candles, bread, and wine for each celebration of the Eucharist is best done by one person, the sacristan. This relieves the presider and other ministers of such tasks in the crucial moments before and after the liturgy. At all times, excellent communication with all liturgical ministers (priests, deacons, all acolytes, EMHCs, lectors and ushers) is of utmost importance. 1. Sacristans must be zealous in their commitment to fostering the growth of Holy Family Church. This happens through the setting up of liturgical elements, but also through the sharing of responsibilities with children (servers) and adults (all other ministers), and the friendly ( ) supervision of all aspects of the work to provide a good liturgy. Mass Coordinators at Holy Family church must have received all sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation), be or become VIRTUS trained and also have the ability to perform and enjoy the work. 2. Each Mass Coordinator must be willing to serve at Mass at least once each month. 3. Once assigned a Mass, Mass Coordinators are expected to serve that assignment or, as soon as a scheduling conflict is identified, find another sacristan to either swap assignments, or serve as a substitute. This swap/substitution may be accomplished by either calling an individual sacristan or sending out a blast . Whenever a blast for swap/substitution request goes out and the request is filled, one more blast must go out to let everyone know the request has been filled.

2 Page 2 4. The liturgy deserves our respect. Suitable attire is very important. Female Mass Coordinators will either wear a dress, suit or pant suit (no jeans, leggings or shorts). Male Mass Coordinators will either wear a full suit and tie (preferable), or a dress shirt, and slacks (no jeans or shorts). 5. A Mass Coordinator must arrive early, at least a full half hour before Mass! Get the key to the chalice cabinet (which always contains the tabernacle key) from the pyx drawer and open the overhead cabinet containing the communion. 6. Begin by preparing the credence tray for Mass. Communion cups and bowls, chalice, water cruet, corporals, purificators to be used during the celebration of the Mass are placed on this tray. Consult the Mass Coordinator book in the sacristy. This book has the set up requirements for each weekend liturgy. It is also a good idea to consult with the priest to or deacon to see if any changes need to be made for that Mass. The priest may want to use a specific chalice for Mass. 7. Select the proper wine pitcher and pour the proper amount of wine from the opened or new bottle in the wine cooler, for that Mass, in the pitcher (again, this information is listed in the sacristan book). At the same time, fill the minimum number of communion cups (chalice remains empty) for that Mass to a little over half full. If there is no partially full wine bottle in the wine cooler, please hold an empty wine bottle out in case the wine from the picture needs to be recanted. Note: All consecrated wine must be consumed at Mass it cannot be recanted. Wine from the pitcher is not consecrated. If there are less than three wine bottles in the refrigerator, please go to the laundry closet and return the wine bottle count in the empty racks below the top rack which is reserved for bottled water. 8. If the stoppered water cruets need water, add bottled water to fill the cruets up to the neck of the cruet. If there are less than two bottles of water, please replenish top rack of wine cooler with water bottles (Bottles are located in the cabinet under the wine cooler or in the laundry closet with the wine boxes.).

3 Page 3 9. From the linen cabinet, select the proper number of altar corporals, purificators, credence corporals, and fingertip (lavabo) towels required for Mass (again, this information is listed in the sacristan book) and place them on top of the vessels on the credence tray. 10. Select a lavabo bowl and small pitcher. Fill the pitcher a little more than halfway with tap water and lightly place a clean fingertip (lavabo) towel on top of the pitcher. 11. After a deacon, priest, or acolyte has checked the ciborium in the tabernacle, and reported to the Mass Coordinator how many consecrated hosts remain, determine the amount of hosts needed to be consecrated for Mass (Helpful information for this procedure is posted on the side of the wine cooler and inside the unblessed bread cabinet). Put the necessary hosts in the main communion bowl, and place one large altar bread (large host) on the top. 12. Place the filled wine pitcher and main communion bowl on the table of reservation in the back of the church near the baptismal font. 13. Bring up and place the properly filled credence trays, and lavabo bowl/pitcher/towel on the credence table in the sanctuary. 14. While in the sanctuary: A) Check the credence table to ensure two fresh purificators are on the bottom shelf (necessary in the event Precious Blood is spilled while communion is being distributed.) B) Check the celebrant s table (by the celebrant s chair) to ensure the worship notebook and Roman Missal are on the top of the table. C) Check the tabernacle candle to ensure it is lit. D) Trim the altar candle wicks to about ¼, or just enough to ensure they remain lit. E) Check the white mensa (altar) cloth. If it has any wine stain on it, remove it and replace it with a clean cloth from the sacristy.

4 Page While in the sanctuary: (continued) F) If the lectors have not already done so, check the ambo to ensure the lectionary and prayers of the faithful are on top of the ambo. If the Book of the Gospels is on the ambo, take it and place it in its niche in the back of the church near the table of reservation. G) At the foot of the sanctuary stairs check the level of fluid in a procession candle. If almost completely out of oil, please replace both containers before Mass. 15. Go to minister s room and, assist the acolyte in assembling the servers. Make sure the server robes come down to their ankles and their cincture is the correct liturgical color. Check the unblessed bread box and ensure that it is about half-full with unblessed bread. No later than 5 minutes before Mass is to begin, instruct servers to light altar candles and get the processional candles and crucifix near the sanctuary. Note: processional candles are to be brought to the sacristy unlit, and lit in the narthex. Note: If an occasion arises where no altar servers or acolytes show up for Mass, and there is no deacon, the Mass Coordinator will be required to fill the server s role in the sanctuary. It is important that every Mass Coordinator be familiar with altar server procedures. It is not necessary to wear an alb, although you are free to do so. 16. Mass Coordinators should identify and introduce themselves to the Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (EMHC) team leader. This minister will help you after Mass (see shared duty #25). If the EMHC team leader does not arrive on time (20 minutes before the beginning of Mass), or if the team leader fails to arrive, then the Mass Coordinator will assume the duties of the team leader until that person arrives. 17. If there is a visiting priest, you are to greet the priest and inform him of the Holy Family procedures for liturgy (procession procedure, EMHC procedures, announcements and children s bulletins at the end of Mass, etc.). The Mass Coordinator should be the friendly face as well as the source of knowledge for a visiting priest. If a deacon is not present, please help the visiting priest with the microphone and battery, offer him bottled water (cabinet in clergy vesting room) and show him the celebrant book in the sanctuary.

5 Page Mass Coordinators will ensure, or help others to ensure there are sufficient EMHCs, lectors, acolytes and ushers for the liturgy. A before-mass public announcement requesting trained people to step forward may be necessary, but should never be the norm. 19. Mass Coordinators are encouraged to participate in the prayer before Mass with the priest, deacon, acolyte, servers, lectors, EMHC team leader, etc. 20. Move to the back of the church with those participating in the procession. The opening procession is to process in this order: altar server with the incense (if it is used), then the cross bearer, followed by the candle bearers (walking side-by-side), then the lectors, followed by the deacon (if present) and then the priest. Remind the servers, acolyte and lectors to walk slowly and reverently up the main aisle. As the procession begins, make sure there is at least a two-pew separation between the incense bearer (if any), cross bearer, candle bearers, lectors, deacon and priest. 21. As the procession moves up the aisle, make sure the clergy door is closed and the ushers are present and do not need additional help. If there is no instituted acolyte at Mass, please sit in a pew near the credence table side of the church so that you may assist the altar servers, EMHC team leader, and/or priest, if necessary. 22. If Mass attendance is significantly less or more than originally anticipated, as people stand for the Creed, move to the minister s room and get the unblessed bread box from the labeled cabinet. At the table of reservation, add or take away bread, according to the increased or decreased anticipated attendance and return the box to the minister s room. All this should be accomplished before the general intercessions are completed. 23. Temperature problems should be relayed to the usher coordinator for that Mass. 24. Sound and visual system problems should be relayed to the steward in the sound booth.

6 Page After Mass, move to the sanctuary with the EMHC team leader. Together, you will: A) Remove the credence tray, all the linens used during Mass, the lavabo bowl, pitcher and towel, and take them back to the sacristy. B) Open the sacrarium lid and gently shake out all corporals into the sacrarium. If the corporals are stain-free and in very good condition, they may be refolded and reused. Check the purificators. If there are any with stains from the Precious Blood, place them in the sacrarium to be soaked. Place the soiled corporals, purificators and lavabo towels in the laundry basket in the laundry closet (Stored wine is also in this closet.). C) Get a wash cloth and liquid detergent and begin to wash the already purified communion cups and chalice. Note: It is necessary to further purify already purified communion cups. The sacrarium goes directly to the ground. Too much water going into the ground may result in a back up. Please do not be overly generous with the amount of water going into the sacrarium. Additionally, soapy water should never be put in the sacrarium. D) If there are any purificators to be soaked, place the stopper in the sacrarium, and use some of the rinse water from the communion cups being washed to soak these purificators so that the purificators are soaking while the cups and chalice are being washed. E) Use the proper dish towels, and not the fingertip (lavabo) towel, thoroughly dry all washed vessels. If a Mass immediately follows, place these cleaned vessels on the credence tray for immediate preparation (Hopefully, the Mass Coordinator for the next Mass will be present to assist.). F) Please instruct EMHCs not to soak up the lavabo bowl water with the lavabo towel. 26. While EMHC team leads are washing communion vessels and purifying linens, in the absence of an acolyte, the Mass Coordinator should also supervise the servers to make sure they properly hang up their albs (unless stained or dirty), and neatly store cinctures and crosses in the proper drawers. 27. Mass Coordinators are the gracious hosts/homemakers of the church. Did everyone feel invited and welcomed? Was the church in perfect order for the faithful? Did everyone leave with a smile?